After the Lord delivered the slaves out of Egypt, He gave them laws to help them. They had been abused by their slave masters. God did not want them to abuse themselves or one another. The Lord’s commandments are gifts of His grace to help us discern between what is good for us and what is not.
The Lord wants us to experience holiness. He doesn’t want people to feel like helpless worms. God made Christ who committed no sin to become sin for us, so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God. [1] The righteousness of God that Christ gives us is both imputed and imparted to us. Righteousness is imputed to us by God when we believe in Christ. God declares believers in His Son righteous based on their faith in Him. Righteousness is imparted to us when we receive the Holy Spirit, and He regenerates in us a desire to live for God.
For example, when I asked Jesus to take my life and have it, He did, and He gave me new life. Jesus gave me an appetite for holiness and a distaste for sin. Jesus did in me what I could not do for myself. That doesn’t mean I no longer sin. No, I sin, but I don’t enjoy it. When I sin, the Holy Spirit graciously convicts me to repent, to ask God to forgive me, and He does. I place my sin under the blood of Jesus that was shed for my forgiveness.
The Lord Jesus graciously draws me to the Bible to read it, meditate on it and to implement its guidance in my life. He daily draws me to pray for myself, for others and for God’s glory. The Holy Spirit accomplishes this in me.
Today, Jesus is with the Father. We cannot see Him face to face, but He embodies Himself in our lives by His Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to be holy. He gives us respect for father and mother. He causes Sabbath observance to be a blessing to us. Knowing the resurrected Christ is far better than serving false gods. [2]
The Lord gave us commandments that are based on love and respect for people.
For example…
“Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.”
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”
“Do not swear falsely by My Name and so profane the Name of your God. I am the Lord.”
“Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker.”
“Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind but fear your God. I am the Lord.”
“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great but judge your neighbor fairly.”
“Do not go about spreading slander among your people.”
“Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.”
“Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.”
“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”
“Do not practice divination or seek omens. Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.”
“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.”
“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
“Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights… I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” [3]
These are good commandments, and God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us live by them. Praise the Lord!
[1] Psalm 22:6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:21
[2] Leviticus 19:2-4
[3] Leviticus 19:10-18, 26, 28, 30-36
Bearing witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus!
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